acura

Those of us who scratched our heads at the oddball BMW X6 now have another genre-jumping vehicle to ponder.

The Acura ZDX concept starts with the MDX platform (and, most likely, its drive train) before being massaged into a coupelike profile. The ZDX features Acura's familiar cabin tech package, but with a few new tricks up its sleeve.

Can't decide between an SUV and a sports car? Acura lets you remain on the fence with is ZDX, a car designed to satisfy both impulses. BMW tried a similar idea last year with the X6, although the ZDX is more car-like than that entrant. Although it might break new ground on the surface, the cabin of the ZDX is filled with the same cutting-edge car tech we liked so much in the TL.

The series of photos released by Acura Friday to tease its New York auto show debut on April 8 show a four-door car with a fastback design. It looks like a sports car, but could also be more of a crossover, as it is difficult to tell the height from the pictures. Rear headroom looks severely compromised from the sloping roof, especially if it is a sedan. We would expect it to get power from Acura's existing 2.4-liter four cylinder or 3.5-liter V-6 engine.

Probably the only race that Buick and Jaguar would finish in a tie is the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Vehicle Dependability StudySM (VDS), but both are on the top of the leader board this week. Each rank highest in vehicle dependability in a tie. Buick improves from a sixth-place ranking in 2008, while Jaguar improves from 10th place. Following in the top-five rankings this year are Lexus, Toyota and Mercury.

Toyota garners five segment awards for the Highlander, Prius, Sequoia, Solara, and Tundra. Lexus follows with four segment awards for the ES 330 (in a tie with the … Read more

In order for the Acura TSX to be the BMW 3 Series fighter that Honda so desperately wants it to be, the sedan needs two more cylinders and rear-wheel drive. Acura aims to give us half of what we want for the 2010 model year with the TSX V-6.

The TSX V-6 will be equipped with a 3.5-liter--you guessed it--V-6 engine that looks suspiciously like the 3.5-liter mill that powers the Honda Accord. In Acura tune, the V-6 outputs 280 horsepower (nine more horses than the Accord). Torque isn't yet stated, but we can assume it'll … Read more

With a navigation system with voice recognition and real-time traffic--and even weather forecasts and graphic weather displays, plus a calendar, calculator, and database of scenic attractions, as well as cell phone integration, the newest Acura TL outfitted with the company's technology package could be thought of more as a PDA on wheels than a serious car. Oops, I forgot the XM satellite radio and the hard-disk drive for both software and music, plus minijack and USB interfaces for external players. Move over, Apple, RIM, and Palm, here comes Acura...

Fortunately, from the car enthusiast (as opposed to gadget enthusiast) … Read more

It's White House or bust for Detroit, will Intel go into the car battery business? Mercedes puts two displays in the dashboard, and we drive the 2009 Acura TL.

• 2009 Acura TL review

• HD Radio explained

• Vote for Tech Car of the Year

• Mercedes SplitView in-dash display

• Ford cuts noise with a new kind of windshield

LOS ANGELES--Honda's U.S. executives have pledged for years to make Acura a top-tier luxury brand, on par with Lexus, Mercedes, and BMW. Dealer Dave Conant is gambling $20 million that this time Honda will succeed.

That's how much Conant spent to upgrade his Acura dealership in suburban Los Angeles. The renovated store opened in May.

"We invested in this facility on the bet they really mean it," Conant told Automotive News.

Jeff Conrad, vice president of American Honda Motor's Acura division, concedes that dealers' expectations are high. He says Acura is working to improve its vehicles, marketing, and retail network. But achieving those goals will take time, he warns.

"Every product we launch becomes more of a Tier One product." Conrad says. "But you don't just snap your fingers and do it overnight. It is a long-term effort."

The redesigned 2009 Acura TL, a compact sedan that emerged from the brand's new design center in Torrance, Calif., is competitive with better-selling luxury models in styling and performance, Conrad says.

The TL has a 3.5-liter, V-6 engine and offers all-wheel drive as an option. It went on sale this fall with a base sticker price of $34,955, including shipping.

Acura dealers say they like the revamped TL. But T.Y. Lai, COO of the western region for DCH Auto Group, says sales of the redesigned model have been disappointing.

… Read more

Acura gives the old TL a bump for the 2009 model year, updating the styling and improving the cabin tech, but also splitting the model into a standard version and a sporty, all-wheel-drive version. We take that hyped-up TL SH-AWD and go in search of some of the most spectacular scenery in the country, with the aid of Acura's new navigation system.

Read the review.